Training to Sing/Howl...

[vixter]

This might be a little weird for a trick but

I am the type of person that just .. sings... a lot. lol. random made up stuff you know.

anyways, ive seen plenty of dogs sing along with people before (like videos) even had a friend who had a dog that would howl/sing along with her.

so im trying to get my little guy to try to howl first on command...

ive tried howling myself like a dog, and also having my husband join in howling too (i think we literally sat there howling for about an hour) but he doesnt catch on. he just barked back at us (like a normal speak).

i think hes trying though, but he just barks like normal and i dont want to reward him for that, cause then he will think hes doing it right.

in fact, he has -never- howled before. he can whine (not on command though), and bark (on command) like normal, but he has never carried out a long bark or howl.

so, since i cant catch him howling and put a word on it, how can i teach him to howl?

thanks :P

[QuickSilver]

I would like to train this too. I haven't had any success so far. Here are two things I haven't tried:

- I read that playing a harmonica prompts a lot of dogs to howl.

- Find a good audio recording of other dogs howling. Your dog may join in.


Keep us posted if you find something that works.

[jacquelinebabco]

I have a dog that howls everytime I do. Don't know why she started this but she gets so excited when I get home from work that she just howls. I will have to get the video camera out and show you or rather let you hear. It was nothing that I taught her she just started doing it?

[QuickSilver]

yes, please! I want to witness Thor's reaction to another yorkie's howl.

[107barney]

Have you seen Barney's debut YT performance? Some dogs who have watched the video on here have howled and started to sing as well. Try playing it for your baby and see if he catches on. If he does it, tell him he is a good boy and stick a cookie in his mouth. I don't know if it will work, but you never know.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/3335221-post8.html

[QuickSilver]

Barney's beautiful, and what a voice!

Thor was interested, but did not vocalize.

[nana911]

Okay, to each his own. And not to denigrate your choices in anyway, but, why do you WANT them to howl? I'm just kinda curious. The border collie that used to live next door howled everytime the fire truck and/or ambulance went by (we're 2 blocks from the firehouse, so it was very frequent), and it ran us nuts...Aren't you scared that once they learn how, they might start doing it even when you don't want them too? LOL

[nana911]

Oh yeah, sorry...Welcome to YT!!!! LOL

[DvlshAngel985]

Originally Posted by 107barney

Have you seen Barney's debut YT performance? Some dogs who have watched the video on here have howled and started to sing as well. Try playing it for your baby and see if he catches on. If he does it, tell him he is a good boy and stick a cookie in his mouth. I don't know if it will work, but you never know.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/3335221-post8.html

Kaji did the yorkie head cock, but no vocalizing.

[DvlshAngel985]

Originally Posted by nana911

Okay, to each his own. And not to denigrate your choices in anyway, but, why do you WANT them to howl? I'm just kinda curious. The border collie that used to live next door howled everytime the fire truck and/or ambulance went by (we're 2 blocks from the firehouse, so it was very frequent), and it ran us nuts...Aren't you scared that once they learn how, they might start doing it even when you don't want them too? LOL

It is said that if you can teach a dog to speak on command you can get them to stop. Maybe it's the same for howling.

[capt_noonie]

Originally Posted by 107barney

Have you seen Barney's debut YT performance? Some dogs who have watched the video on here have howled and started to sing as well. Try playing it for your baby and see if he catches on. If he does it, tell him he is a good boy and stick a cookie in his mouth. I don't know if it will work, but you never know.

http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/3335221-post8.html

Too cute! He's saying Hellllloooooooooooooo! Someone answer the phoooooooooooooooooooooooone!

Uni's never howled before, ever. Though she does bark and growl on command. One of her doggie brothers howls all freakin day, so she's heard a dog howl, she just doesn't wanna do it.

[nana911]

Originally Posted by DvlshAngel985

It is said that if you can teach a dog to speak on command you can get them to stop. Maybe it's the same for howling.

Eventually, when I'm not so full of tryptophan(sp?) I'll wrap my brain around the logic of that.

[107barney]

Originally Posted by nana911

Eventually, when I'm not so full of tryptophan(sp?) I'll wrap my brain around the logic of that.

The logic really is not hard to follow. If your dog speaks on command, it cuts down on "emotional" type barking. You basically are rewarding the "quiet."

Barney who is very quiet and hardly ever "speaks" or "sings" will blast into full song or barks on command. He also waves, spins, dances, rolls over and a whole variety of other tricks he's learned in 10 years of advanced obedience training.

So, no, I'm not concerned that my dog's singing will disrupt the neighborhood. If it does, let them go to court and file a nuisance suit and I'll put Barney on as evidence that he is not a nuisance but a cutie patootie with a voice like an angel.

[ladyjane]

A few of mine went nuts when they heard Barney sing! I could start a yorkie choir.
My Cookie talks! She has a very high pitched, annoying bark and she knows that I don't like her to bark for attention, so she talks instead. A friend of mine thinks I could teach her to say words...I am actually thinking about doing that! She has a sort of Rrrrr sound...so I need to think of a cool word that starts with that sound! I am quite sure she will pick it up easily. She is a smarty!

[DvlshAngel985]

Originally Posted by 107barney

The logic really is not hard to follow. If your dog speaks on command, it cuts down on "emotional" type barking. You basically are rewarding the "quiet."

Barney who is very quiet and hardly ever "speaks" or "sings" will blast into full song or barks on command. He also waves, spins, dances, rolls over and a whole variety of other tricks he's learned in 10 years of advanced obedience training.

So, no, I'm not concerned that my dog's singing will disrupt the neighborhood. If it does, let them go to court and file a nuisance suit and I'll put Barney on as evidence that he is not a nuisance but a cutie patootie with a voice like an angel.

Unbiased opinion right? He is a cootie patootie, you'll want me in the jury.